Love Will Remember
by Skye Coulson
Summary: So, the machine Reina put Coulson in messes with brainwaves, right? What if it could also cause amnesia? I know it sounds weird, but, please just give it a chance, please? Read & Review! Coulsye pairing!
1. You're Always Here With Me

**Love Will Remember**

**Disclaimer:  
**As always, I own nothing!

**Rating:  
**T

**Genre:  
**Romance/Hurt/Comfort

**Pairing:  
**Coulsye

**Lyrics Used:  
**Ashley Tisdale "You're Always Here"

**Author's Note:  
**This idea just came to me, the other day, while I was listening to Selena Gomez's song "Love Will Remember". I got thinking. Hey, if Reina and...what's-his-face...used a machine that fucked with Coulson's brainwave activity right after dosing him with some sort of anesthetic when they abducted him...Who's to say that couldn't mess with his memory? Wipe out more than it revealed? Especially given the way that they kept warning him not to fight it ('cause it would kill him)...So, I decided to roll with it. If for no other reason than just to get it out of my head so I can focus on other stories and videos I wanna do. (If y'all wanna see my videos, just hit me up on YouTube. My screenname, there, is Coulsye Productions. … Shameless plug, I know.)

* * *

You're Always Here With Me

* * *

_Pull myself together | I know it's for the better | Now | It's my turn | It's my turn to carry this way | Nothing is forever | You can't predict the weather | Now | You'll be there to help me carry this way_

_They say that love won't die | And, then, I realize | What will be will be | You're always here with me | And, in the darkest night | I feel you by my side | What will be will be | You're always here with me_

_And, if the day goes by | And, you start to question why | Tell me why | There is a way to hold on | You just gotta stay strong | Close your eyes and you will find | Love lives on inside_

* * *

"Just want to say..." Phil Coulson began, carefully. His team had been through enough-or, so, he'd been told, at least. He didn't need to burden them with the fact that he couldn't remember anything. At all. He remembered his name. He remembered New York. But, he couldn't remember anything about the people surrounding him. So, he had to play his cards right if he didn't want them to suspect anything. "Thank you..." He finished, finally, faking a smile to-hopefully-satisfy his team. Watching as they all just stood there, returning his smile-all except for the one named Skye, however, who seemed to be on to him, already-he thought he'd succeeded. "Get back to work." He added, in a falsely playful tone, hoping to distract them from his struggles. Watching as the rest of the group dispersed, he saw that he was left alone with the stunningly beautiful woman who seemed to know he was hiding something. "I heard what you did for me." He told her. That much was true. He _had _been told of the lengths that the young woman had gone to locate him. As much as he appreciated the efforts, he couldn't wrap his mind around how anyone could consider one person-himself, in particular-important enough to go to such drastic measures. One thing was certain, though. It definitely meant the world to him that _she _**did **think that highly of him. "I think it's time..." He began, softly, gently reaching out and holding her wrist up to examine the bracelet wrapped around it. He recognized it as something he'd first learned about when he first joined S.H.I.E.L.D. He knew it couldn't have made her efforts to find him any easier. "That we remove this..." He added with a warm smile as he steadfastly ignored the electric shocks racing up and down his spine as his fingertips accidentally grazed her skin. Leaning forward, slightly, he spoke a simple two-word command into the bracelet. "Disengage bracelet."

"Are you kidding me?!" The young woman before demanded, sarcastically.

"Thought you'd like that." Phil added with what he hoped was nothing more than a warm, knowing smile. A somewhat uncomfortable silence stretched between them as the young woman before him-he remembered someone addressing her as 'Skye'-chuckled softly was she instinctively rubbed her newly freed wrist.

"Back in that room..." Skye began, softly, breaking the silence. "Did they learn anything?"

Phil didn't know how to answer that. He knew he hoped they didn't. But, without his memory of what had happened, he couldn't be sure. But, he knew if he said that, it was game over. So, he kept his response as simple as possible. "No."

"Did _you_?" She asked, pressing the matter further. His suspicions that she was on to him were only growing stronger the longer she spoke to him. "I heard what you were saying..." _Damn it..._ Phil thought to himself, as he frantically searched for a reply.

"It wasn't real." Phil replied, vaguely, buying himself time while he constructed his response. "They were just...messing with my head..." Looking in her eyes, he knew she wasn't buying it. "But, I appreciate your concern." He finished, hoping that an honest remark would be enough to appease her.

"Phil, what's really going on, here?" Well, there went that theory. "You haven't been yourself, at _all_, since we got back." Skye argued, stepping closer as she lightly gripped the collar of his jacket, drawing his full attention. "This is _me_, you're talking to." She added, before raising one of her hands to tenderly caress his face. "You **know **you can _always _tell me _anything_..." She insisted.

Phil didn't know if it was her close proximity or if it was the hand on his cheek or the warm sincerity-or desperation, as some may call it-in her voice as she spoke...Maybe it was the combination of the three. He didn't know. But something about one or all of those details brought every last one of his walls crumbling down as a lone frustrated tears escaped down his cheek before she gently wiped it away with her thumb as he spoke. "I just...I can't...Remember...Anything..." He admitted, frustratedly.

His first reaction was regret when he immediately felt her withdraw her hands from his collar and his face as she retracted away from him. Had it been a mistake? He couldn't help wondering if he should have kept his struggles to himself. But, those concerns faded as he watched her cover her mouth in shock at his statement. "My God..." She breathed, stunned by Phil's admission. She had just assumed that he was just in shock or had experienced something traumatic that just didn't want to talk about. But, this?! This, she never would have expected! "You don't...remember _anything_?" She asked, in awe. "At _all_?"

"No..." Phil admitted, as he averted his gaze. However, he soon felt Skye's warm, soft, hands gently forcing him to look at her.

Staring into the eyes of the man that she loved-even if she could never admit it, aloud-Skye saw the pain and frustration written in them and ached for it. Unable to stand the sight of his struggle any longer, she wrapped her arms around him, drawing him into a hug. At first, she felt him tense against her body, but it took everything she had to hold back a relieved sigh as he finally relaxed into the embrace.

Burying his face in the crook of her neck, Phil felt something he hadn't felt in far too long. Safe. Here in these arms, he felt at home...As if nothing could ever touch him. And, right now, he was craving that feeling. Tightening his grip on the young woman in his arms, he silently prayed the moment would never end. Here, in her arms, he could pretend that everything was fine. That he wasn't missing God only knew how much of his own memory. As Skye buried her own face in his shoulder, he couldn't hold in the soft sigh.

Finally, as all good things always do...The moment came to an end as Skye slowly withdrew from his arms. Fortunately, she only moved far enough away to look him straight in the eye, as she asked "Do you remember anything? About being taken? About Mike Peterson? About Reina?" Slowly, Skye felt her heart sinking lower and lower as each question was met with a regretful shake of the head.

"I can't remember anything after the battle of New York..." Phil admitted, shamefully. "I don't remember this plane or...or any of you..."

Finally stepping back, fully, Skye barely covered the shocked gasp as the full gravity of what Phil just said sank in. "Oh my God..." She breathed. "You don't remember me? Or Ward or May or Fitzsimmons or...Or any of us?..." She wondered, softly. She had heard him all too well, the first time. But, some masochistic part of her brain needed to him repeat it.

"No..." The tired desperation in Phil's voice tore Skye's heart to pieces within her chest. As he watched her taking in everything he was saying, Phil found himself momentarily mesmerized by the way he could almost _literally _see the gears turning in her mind as she analyzed the situation.

Finally, his trance was broken when she turned toward the lab and shouted "JEMMA!" After the ringing in his ears subsided, Phil watched as a brunette with a fairer complexion than Skye's joined their conversation.

"Yes, Skye?" The brunette, apparently named 'Jemma', replied through her thick British accent.

"We have a serious problem..." Skye replied, dropping her voice to a lever slightly lower than usual. "Coulson doesn't remember _anything_...At _all_..."

Glancing back forth between the hacker and the senior S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, Jemma offered her first logical conclusion. "Well, it's not at all uncommon for people who have just experienced something horribly traumatic to-"

"I'm not saying he doesn't remember anything about being taken..." Skye clarified, impatiently. "I'm saying he doesn't remember anything...About **_anything_**..."

Jemma's eyes widened as she finally understood the full meaning of what Skye was saying. "What?!" She breathed, just as stunned as Skye had been when she found out.

"He said he can't remember _anything _after the battle of New York..." Skye elaborated as she stepped over to stand next to Phil before lightly laying one hand over his shoulder as the other gently landed on his chest as she looked up at him while speaking to Jemma, once again. "He doesn't remember any of _us_..."

"Bloody hell..." Jemma breathed, still struggling to wrap her mind around the situation. Looking into the eyes of the man she looked up to as both a mentor and a friend, she could see that Skye was right. There was no recognition written in the piercing blue orbs, whatsoever. Just a vulnerable desperation to remember anything about anything around him. Her heart ached to give the man the answer he so desperately sought. _I just don't know _how_..._She thought to herself, desperately. "Come on..." She replied, taking a light grip on Phil's free arm to lead him to the lab. "I need to examine you...I need to see exactly what we're up against..." _And, if there's any way in hell that I can stand a chance of solving it_...That part, she left unsaid. God knew Phil had enough on his mind. He didn't need any of it compounded with her own worries.

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**Well, whadda y'all think? Was it okay? Did ya like it? Do you want me to continue? If you want more, ya gotta leave a review and _tell _me! I hope you've enjoyed my little offering!

~Skye Coulson


	2. Everything Has Changed

**Love Will Remember**

**Disclaimer:  
**As always, I own nothing!

**Rating:  
**T

**Genre:  
**Romance/Hurt/Comfort

**Pairing:  
**Coulsye

**Lyrics Used:  
**Taylor Swift "Everything Has Changed"

* * *

Everything Has Changed

* * *

_I just wanna know you, better, know | You better, know | You better, now_

_I just wanna know you, better, know | You better, know | You better, now_

_I just wanna know you, better, know | You better, know | You better, now_

_I just wanna know you, know you, know you_

_'Cause all I know is we said "Hello" | And, your eyes look like comin' home | All I know is a simple name | And, everything has changed | All I know is you held the door | You'll be mine and I'll be yours | All I know since yesterday is everything has changed_

_All I know is we said "Hello" | So, dust off your highest hopes | All I know is pouring rain and everything has changed | All I know is a new found grace | All my days I'll know your face | All I know since yesterday is everything has changed_

* * *

"_Bloody hell." Jemma breathed, still struggling to wrap her mind around the situation. Looking up into the eyes of the man she looked up to as both a mentor and a friend, she could see that Skye was right. There was no recognition written in the piercing blue orbs, whatsoever. Just a vulnerable desperation to remember anything about anything around him. Her heart ached to give the man the answers he so desperately sought. _I just don't know _how_..._She thought to herself, desperately. "Come on..." She replied, taking a light grip on Phil's free arm to lead him to the lab. "I need to examine you...I need to see exactly what we're up against..." _ And if there's any chance in hell that I can stand a chance of solving it..._ That part, she left unsaid. God knew Phil had enough on his mind. He didn't need any of it compounded by her own worries._

* * *

"Well?!" Skye asked, anxiously, as Jemma wrapped up the last of her tests while Phil righted himself to a sitting position on the exam table. "What's the verdict?!" She asked, anxiously pacing back and forth behind Phil's back.

"Well..." Jemma began, setting her tools down as she walked around the table to grab the hacker by the shoulders-effectively halting her pacing. "First of all, you've _got _to stop pacing, like that. You're roughly two laps away from _literally _wearing a hole in the floor!" Jemma warned, only half-joking. Phil couldn't resist the ever so small ghost of an amused smile tugging at his lips at the exchange between the two women. "Secondly, it would appear that a combination of an overdose of Midazolam and a remarkable amount of electric _shocks_ coupled with the machine in which you found Agent Coulson seems to have caused a form of retrograde amnesia." Jemma explained, keeping her voice at a remarkably clinical tone.

"The machine?" Skye replied, questioningly. "What's the machine got to do with any of this?" She asked, worriedly.

"The machine that Raina put you in, Agent Coulson, induced theta brainwave frequencies." Jemma explained, turning her attention to Phil while Skye continued to listen intently. "Those frequencies are thought to unlock secrets buried deep within the subconscious." She added, in the same clinical tone.

"Wouldn't that _reveal _memories, rather than wiping them out, entirely?" Skye asked as her mind worked furiously to try to understand just what the hell Phil's abductors had done to him

"Under normal circumstances-and, in theory, mind you-that would be correct." Jemma conceded. "However, the overdose of the anesthetic as well as the 'shock treatment' they gave him-as evidenced by the electrical burns to his chest and abdomen-they seem to have had the opposite effect." She elaborated, redirecting her attention back to Phil. "It would appear that whatever memories the machine uncovered were wiped out once the power was cut."

"Oh my God..." Skye whispered, under her breath, hoping not to upset Phil any more than he already had to be. "Is there any chance he could get any of his memories back?" She asked, her voice slightly more desperate than she had hoped for.

"Ordinarily, I would say that you were virtually guaranteed to regain either some or all of your missing memories." Jemma explained, carefully. "However, given the highly unique circumstances at play, here...I can't _really _be sure, one way or the other." She admitted, remorsefully. "I'm so sorry. I know it's not exactly the news you wanted to hear..."

"It's quite all right..." Phil replied, warmly. "This isn't your fault, Jemma..."

Looking out the window, the biochemist noticed Leo waving for her to join him and May and Ward outside the lab. "If you'll excuse me, Agent Fitz is currently giving me a not-so-subtle signal that he would like to speak with me, privately..." Jemma spoke, sarcastically, as she took her leave-leaving Phil and Skye alone, once again.

* * *

Sliding on to the table next to Phil, Skye wrapped one arm around his shoulders while her free hand lightly gripped one of his own hands as she spoke. "Phil, I..." She began, helplessly, as she rested her forehead against his shoulder. "God..." She breathed, shakily. "I don't even _know _what to say, right now...I just wish I had the answers that could somehow, magically make this all okay, for you..."

Phil couldn't help the small smile that tugged at the corners of his mouth at Skye's intimate gesture. Having her this close definitely put at least some of his fears to rest. Covering the hand which held his own with his free hand, he replied "I know you do...Quite honestly, _I _don't even know what to do, now..."

Sliding off the table, Skye released her embrace on him to stand directly in front of him as she took his face in her hands-forcing him to give her his full attention. "Look, Phil...I know I don't have any of the answers, right now..." She admitted with a determination in her voice that nearly gave Phil a small sense of hope. "But, I **promise **you _this_...I will be _right here_, right by your side, every step of the way. I swear to you, Phil...You are _not _alone, in this. We **will** figure this out. _Together_."

Phil couldn't believe what this remarkable, beautiful, young woman was saying and what she was offering to do for him. Grasping the hands on either side of his face in his own, he gently stroked the backs of them with his thumbs. "Thank you, Skye."

* * *

"What's going on, in there?" Leo asked, confused. "I thought we already had Agent Coulson examined when we got back?"

"Yes, well..." Jemma began, hesitantly. "Skye spoke to him after the rest of us dispersed, and he confided in her that he couldn't remember anything-"

"Well, I know I'm no expert, but, I think we all know that it's not that uncommon for somebody who's been through something like what Coulson went through to block out any memories of the traumatic event..." Ward argued, hoping there wasn't more to the story than met the eye.

"If only that were the case, Agent Ward." Jemma replied, remorsefully. Taking the confused stares she received in response as a cue to elaborate, she added "I'm not saying that he doesn't remember anything about being taken. What I'm saying is that he doesn't remember _anything_ after the _battle of New York_!" That elaboration was met with stunned silence as the full severity of what the biochemist had just told them sank in.

"Are you saying what I think you're saying?" May questioned, stoic as ever.

"I'm afraid so, Agent May..." Jemma replied, helplessly. "He doesn't remember Skye or myself or any of you...Hell, he doesn't even remember this _plane..._" She explained, desperate for answers. Answers that she didn't have. And, quite honestly, she didn't know she would ever find them.

"How did this happen?" Ward questioned, trying to avoid dealing with his concerns and anxieties for his friend and boss.

"Like I told Skye and Coulson..." Jemma began, trying to steady herself. "The amnesia seems to have been caused by a combination of the overdose of Versed anesthetic Agent Coulson was dosed with when he was taken combined with the electric shocks that he was tortured with, topped off by the machine in which Skye and May found him."

"What's the machine got to do with it?" Leo asked, curiously.

"The machine that Raina used on Agent Coulson induced theta brainwave frequencies which-in theory-_should _unlock memories buried deep within the subconscious." Jemma explained, hoping that she wasn't going over any heads. "But, when it was coupled with the anesthetic overdose and the electrical shocks, it appears to have wiped his memory out instead of _revealing _more..."

"Is there any chance he could get it back?" Grant asked, more of his concerns seeping through his voice than he cared to admit to.

"At this point..." Jemma shrugged, helplessly. "I honestly don't know..." Watching as her teammates and friends averted their worried gazes, Jemma reluctantly added "Under normal circumstances, I would say that Agent Coulson would be virtually guaranteed regain some, if not all, of his missing memories. But, with all these unique variables...I honestly couldn't call it one way or the other."

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**Okay, wow! I can't believe the over-whelming response I've received on this story in less than just 24 hours! This is incredible! I'm so glad y'all like my story! I hope you'll continue to read and review!

~Skye Coulson


	3. I Am Only Human

**Love Will Remember**

**Disclaimer:  
**Y'all know the drill...I own nothing.

**Rating:  
**T

**Genre:  
**Romance/Hurt/Comfort

**Pairing:  
**Coulsye

**Lyrics Used:  
**Krewella "Human"

* * *

I Am Only Human

* * *

_But, I could use a hand, sometimes | Yeah, I could use a hand, sometimes | They say pain is an illusion | This is just a bruise and | You are just confused, but | I am only human | Yeah, I could use a hand, sometimes_

* * *

Later that evening, after Coulson had excused himself for the evening-and, after Skye had so graciously showed him to his bunk-the rest of the team found themselves gathered in the living area with their various alcoholic beverages of choice in hand. "As callous as this may sound..." May interjected, breaking the heavy silence that had settled over the group. "I can't help wondering if his memory loss is really such a bad thing..." She added, defeatedly, as she took another sip of her whiskey.

"Have _you _lost _your _mind, too?!" Skye blurted out, before thinking. "With all due respect..." She added, slightly more quietly, once she saw the daggers glared her way from the stoic pilot.

"You and I both heard what he was saying..." May deadpanned. "Would _you _want to remember something like that?" She asked. It was a simple question. But, poignant enough to do the trick as the hacker sat back in her seat, her-now, room temperature-beer in her hands.

"Fair point." Skye conceded, with another swallow of her beer. "But, I don't know what's worse..." The hacker replied, brokenly. "_Hearing _him _say _those things or...Or seeing him like this." The rest of the group had to agree. "I just...I hate seeing him like this..." She added, helplessly. "I know he's trying to play it off like he's fine, but, I can see the struggle in his eyes and, it kills me."

"We all see it, too, Skye." Ward replied, gently, still nursing his bourbon. "It's not easy for any of us."

"But, what can we do?!" Jemma injected, helplessly, as she took another sip of her pinot noire. This was supposed to be her thing. She may not have been some crazy, bad-ass street fighter like May or Ward. But, figuring out the solution to a problem-scientifically analyzing an equation...That was supposed to her bread and butter. Take that away from her, and, what did she have left?

"I know..." Skye conceded, sighing heavily, as she finished the last of her beer. "Just _sucks_, is all..."

The group all nodded, silently, in agreement. Coulson had done so much for each and every one of them. And, now, when he needed them, there wasn't a damn thing any of them could do for him. As finished the last of her wine, Jemma broke the silence. "Well, it's getting late. I think I'll turn in..." She announced, rising from her seat on the couch.

"Yes, perhaps we just need to sleep on it and come back to the problem with fresh eyes, in the morning." Leo added, rising from the couch, as well, before heading off in the direction of his bunk.

"Yeah, maybe you're right..." Grant replied, cleaning up the glasses left behind on the coffee table, before turning back to Skye. "You comin'?" He asked, lightly.

"I think I'm gonna stay up a little bit." Skye replied, shrugging lightly, in her seat. "My mind's still a little wired from everything that's happened..." She elaborated.

The rest of the group just nodded, understandingly, before taking their leave and retreated to their bunks for the night. Left alone to her thoughts, Skye couldn't shake the image of finding Coulson in that...room...screaming...pleading for some unseen person to just let him die from her head. She didn't know how she would ever be able to silence the screams. The sights and sounds haunted her, only to be compounded by the new revelation of Phil's amnesia. Knowing that he didn't remember _her _hurt the most. Forgetting the rest of the team helped ease _some _of the pain, but, not nearly enough.

* * *

Skye had been so lost in thought, she hadn't noticed that she was no longer alone in the common area. "Couldn't sleep, either?" The ever-familiar voice broke through her inner monologue like a razor blade.

"Not really..." Skye admitted, as Phil joined her on the loveseat. "You couldn't either, huh?" She asked, trying to keep her voice light. But, after everything that had happened, she was just too physically and emotionally spent.

"No..." Phil sighed, leaning back into the plush cushions, staring at the ceiling. "Just can't stop feeling like this huge...part of my life is just...missing." The senior agent confessed, tiredly. "I just don't know how to find it."

"I know what you mean..." Skye sighed, mimicking Phil's actions as she leaned back into the couch, subconsciously scooting closer next to him.

Curious as to what Skye meant, Phil turned his head to look at her as he asked "How's that?"

Shifting her gaze to the man next to her, Skye replied "Well...You probably don't remember this, but..." Sighing lightly, she elaborated "Before you recruited me to this team, I was a hacker for The Rising Tide-it's this underground group of hackers and whatnot that try to expose the secrets that S.H.I.E.L.D. and other similar agencies try to cover up..." Seeing the hesitant, if not somewhat accusatory, expression on Phil's face, she interjected "Don't worry...I wasn't nearly as malicious as the other members of the group. I only ever joined them so that I could try to dig up whatever information I could about my parents." Phil couldn't help feeling sorry for the young woman next to him.

"What do you mean?" Phil asked, curiously. "What were you trying to find out, about them?"

Shrugging, Skye simply replied "I don't know, really, just...whatever I _could _find...As it was, I had absolutely nothing. I didn't even know my own last name-still don't, actually." She admitted, defeatedly. "But, then, you offered to try to help in whatever way you could...You found the unredacted version of the the one and only document I had found referring to my parents."

"I did?" Phil wondered, aloud. Even if he couldn't remember it, he was glad that he was able to give Skye something.

"Yeah, but, it wasn't nearly as helpful as I had hoped it would be..." Skye replied, semi-disappointedly. "You said that all it said was that an unidentified S.H.I.E.L.D. agent dropped me off at Saint Agnes orphanage when I was just a baby. You said that you couldn't even determine whether that agent was my mother or just somebody who found me and dropped me off..."

Hearing the young woman's story, Phil couldn't help feeling a little disappointed in himself. He wished he could give her the answers she'd sought for so long. "I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help to you..." He apologized, meaning every word he said with every fiber of his being.

"Don't be sorry..." Skye replied, the warm sincerity in her voice mirrored in her eyes. "Please...Don't ever apologize for that...That night, you gave me more than I had ever been able to find on my own...Don't ever apologize..." She added, gripping Phil's hand lightly in her own to drive her point home. Sighing lightly, she continued. "I just wish I could give _you _the answers _you're _looking for." _Even if you _don't _like them..._Skye thought to herself, recalling Phil's warning to her when he offered to help her in her search.

"Tell you what..." Phil replied, a hint of playful mischief in his voice. "I won't apologize for not giving you any more information than I did...If you don't apologize for not being able to help me, now..."

Smiling ever so slightly, Skye nearly chuckled as she agreed. "Deal." As she caught a glimpse of the watch on his wrist, the young hacker couldn't believe that it was nearing one a.m. "Wow..." She observed. "It's getting pretty late...We should probably call it a night..." She suggested, even though she'd rather stay with Phil.

Seeing what Skye was talking about, Phil reluctantly agreed. "Yes...I suppose you're right." In that moment, Skye saw something in her dear friend's eyes that she'd never seen before today. Vulnerability.

"You gonna be okay?" Skye asked, her voice warm with concern.

Phil's mind seemed to have shut down as his voice spoke of its own accord. "Guess I'm just not looking forward to being alone right now..." Once the words left his mouth, the senior agent's eyes widened with horrified embarrassment. "I don't suppose there's any way you could just forget I said that, is there?"

Smiling warmly, Skye knelt at Phil's feet as she gently took his hands in hers. "Phil...You're always the strong one, the rock we all cling to when the shit hits the fan...There's nothing wrong with needing someone, once in a while..."

Phil couldn't believe he had someone as warm and understanding-not to mention beautifully comforting-in his life. Once again, the words left his mouth before he'd even realized he'd spoken. "So...you'll stay with me?"

"Phil..." Skye smiled. "I will _always _stay with you until you **order **me away..." Nothing more needed to be said as Skye slowly rose to her feet, pulling Phil up with her as she proceeded to lead him back to his bunk.

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**Okay, I know this story may seem like it's moving a little slowly. But, I promise you progress in the next installment of "Love Will Remember"! In the meantime, enjoy!

~Skye Coulson


	4. I Just Need You Now

**Love Will Remember**

**Disclaimer:  
**As always, I own nothing!

**Rating:  
**T

**Genre:  
**Romance/Hurt/Comfort

**Lyrics Used:  
**Lady Antebellum "Need You Now"

* * *

I Just Need You Now

* * *

_It's a quarter after one | I'm all alone | And, I need you now | Said I wouldn't call | But, I've lost all control | And, I need you now | And, I don't know how I can do without | I just need you now_

* * *

_Pain. That was all Phil Coulson could identify. Everything was black. He couldn't see anything. All he could hear was screaming. He couldn't recognize the voice or make out the words-he couldn't even hear his own voice over the sound of someone screaming and pleading to die. Frankly, the idea of dying didn't sound all that bad to him. Just when that thought entered his mind, it was soon followed by a much more pleasant thought as well as a face to accompany the second thought._

_ Finally, another voice broke through all the pain and the screaming. It was a familiar voice-one he'd know anywhere. It was the voice of the one person that kept him grounded when the world threatened to swallow him whole. Skye. "Phil..." The simple sound of his name on the young woman's lips was enough to shine a light through the darkness. "Phil, wake up...Come on, Phil...Come back to me..."_

It was then that Phil registered the sensation of being gently shaken. Suddenly, his eyes snapped open to see fear and concern written in the soft doe eyes staring down at him. "Oh, thank God..." Skye muttered under her breath.

"Skye..." Phil called out, softly, suddenly short of breath as his chest heaved with the effort of trying to catch up. "Skye...What happened?"

Turning to see Grant, Melinda, Leo and Jemma all gathered outside Coulson's door, Skye just shooed them away with a swift hand gesture and a look that promised an explanation at a later time. Returning her attention back to the man in her arms, Skye gently stroked his hair as she replied, softly. "You had a nightmare."

"Oh..." Phil replied, digesting everything that had happened in his nightmare. At the moment, all he could think about was how good it felt to have Skye stroking his hair and wiping the tears that he hadn't even realized were falling.

"You wanna talk about it?" The young hacker asked, gently. Looking into her eyes, Phil felt safe. He felt as though he could tell her anything without the fear of being judged for it. It was a feeling he hadn't felt in a long time.

"I..." Phil stuttered, unsure of how to explain what had happened in his nightmare. "I couldn't...see anything..." He began, deciding to just go for it. "All I heard was screaming. I heard a room full of people shouting and screaming. I heard someone begging and pleading to die." The senior agent failed to suppress his involuntary shudder as he relived his nightmare. "And, I just...felt this...ungodly pain all over. I don't know what was happening or what caused it...I just wanted it...to stop..." He explained, as his voice shook and cracked.

As she listened to Phil recounting the events of his nightmare, Skye couldn't stop the few stray tears that stole away from her eyes and down her cheeks. "Phil, I..." She began as her own voice and cracked as it cut out. _I can't tell him..._ She thought to herself as she battled with her own subconscious. _He has a right to know..._ Unsure of how to proceed, Skye just threw caution to the wind as she leaned down to press a gentle kiss to Phil's forehead. "I wish there was something I could do for you..."

Phil hated the insecurity and self-doubt in the young woman's voice. She was doing so _much _to help him and she didn't even know it. "You _are _doing something..." He muttered softly, after the shock of her kiss wore off. "You're doing so much just by being here...holding me like this..." He explained, hoping to ease some of the young hacker's insecurities.

Stroking his cheek, Skye couldn't believe that Phil was putting his own problems aside just to satisfy _her _needs. "You're unbelievable." She spoke, softly, with a warm smile. "Don't worry about me..." She added, tenderly. "Just focus on yourself and getting back on your feet." As a playful smile played across her face, she added "Which starts with getting some sleep..." She chided gently. "But, don't worry...I'll be right here..." She reminded him as she settled back into the bed next to him as he nodded, before shifting closer next to her. Rolling over onto his side, Phil nuzzled his face into the crook of her neck as he wrapped his arms around her-revelling in the feeling of her arms wrapped around him. Finally feeling safe and comfortable, again, he soon drifted back off to sleep. Meanwhile, Skye lay awake, watching over the man in her arms. Sleep eluded her as she was determined to be there if and when Phil needed her, again.

* * *

"Hey, Skye..." Grant called out, spotting the young hacker nursing a cup of coffee in the kitchen area. "Can I talk to you for a second?" He asked, lightly.

"Sure, Ward." Skye replied, casually. "What's up?"

"I just wanted to talk to you about..." Grant began, hesitantly, unsure of how approach such a delicate subject matter. "...well, about what happened, last night..."

Immediately understanding where Grant was going with this, Skye just nodded knowingly as she set her cup down on the counter. "You're wondering what I was doing in Coulson's bed..." She surmised, bluntly.

Rubbing the back of his head, nervously, Grant replied "Well...yeah, kinda...I mean, I know nothing...happened...between you guys, it's just..." He stammered, trying to find the best way to phrase what was on his mind.

"I didn't have sex with him, if that's what you're wondering." Skye interjected, finally. Sighing lightly, she added "But, I can see how you might be a little curious given what you saw..." The hacker conceded as the rest of the team, minus Coulson, joined them in the kitchen to listen in. "Look, you guys...Last night, after you all went to bed, Coulson came into the living room and we both got to talking about how we couldn't sleep and whatnot...A little bit later, I noticed that it was almost one o'clock in the morning and when I mentioned that we should probably turn in, he confided in me that he didn't want to be alone and asked if I would stay with him." She explained, heavily, staring into her coffee cup as she relived the events of the evening prior. "It's just that...He's done so much for me...If this is something that I can do to be there for him, then, damn it...I'm gonna do it. I don't care what it looks like to anyone else-"

"Maybe you should." Melinda interjected, stoically. "Perception is everything, in this line of work..."

"Well, perceive what you want, Agent May." Skye replied, her voice colder than any of them had ever heard from her. "That man has bent over backwards to help me when I've needed it. He has stuck his neck out for me-put his own ass on the line, for me-when he had no obligation to do so." She argued with a cold determination unlike anything any of the group had ever seen. "Coulson and I know the truth and that's all that matters to me. So, if this is a way I can pay it forward-be there for _him _when _he _needs _me_, then I don't give a damn what anyone else thinks or what it looks like...I will stand by him until _**he**_ orders me away." Crossing the kitchen with her forgotten coffee in hand, she poured the remainder of the now-cold-brown liquid down the sink as she rinsed the cup out before turning to the rest of her 'team'. "Now...If you're all through interrogating me, I'm gonna go hit the gym..." She bid her stone-cold farewells to the group as she left he kitchen.

The rest of the group remained oblivious to the last remaining audience member as they all stared at each other, dumbfounded by the hacker's cold shoulder. Meanwhile, Phil had watched the exchange with the same reaction, but, for a different reason. He couldn't believe the way Skye had defended both of their actions from the night before. Truthfully, he hadn't given much thought to what the rest of the team would think if they had seen him and Skye together. _Maybe I _should _have thought about that..._He wondered before he considered what Skye had said in their defense. _'Coulson and I know the truth and that's all that matters to me'..._ The hacker's actions had stunned him to the point that he felt obligated to follow her down to the gym.

* * *

Descending the stairs down to the gym, Phil took a moment to absorb the sight of Skye taking out her frustrations on the punching bag. He could tell that the team's words had gotten to her. He'd never seen her so cold or so angry. Finally snapping out of his daze, Phil slowly approached the young hacker. As he reached out to tap her shoulder, Phil suddenly found himself ducking a rogue punch.

"Oh, my God, Phil." Skye gasped, upon realizing who she'd nearly decked as she pulled her earbuds from her ears. "I am _so_ sorry. I didn't hear you come in!" She apologized frantically as she reached out to steady Phil.

"It's quite all right, Skye." Phil assured her with a small warm, smile. "I just came down here to..." He began, nervously. "...well, to thank you..." He sighed, finally. "For everything...For staying with me, last night, and...well, for what you said, just now, in the kitchen."

"You heard that, huh?" Skye asked, knowing the answer. "Well, you're welcome, by the way. I meant what I said..." She began, with a warm determination in her eyes. "You've done so much for me-for all of us..." She reiterated. "If there is **ever **_anything _that _I _can do for _you_, I'm _happy _to do it." The sincerity in Skye's voice filled Phil with an emotion he couldn't quite identify. But, it felt good, so, he wasn't going to question it. "We all owe you so much...If the others can't understand and respect what I'm trying to do for you, they can go to hell, for all I care." Skye replied, smiling softly, as she drew Phil into her arms, once more.

Phil didn't know why Skye was so much warmer to him than the others, but, he appreciated it. He knew the rest of the team cared about him, but, Phil also knew that Skye cared for him on a different, deeper, level. Revelling in the warmth and security of her embrace, Phil decided that she was right. She was helping him through a rough time and, if the others couldn't understand that, then that was their problem. Not his.

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**So, I know that the rest of the team may have seemed a little OOC, but, this chapter's been bugging me and it keeps playing out the same way over and over in my head so, I decided to write it, this way. I hope you all like it and can overlook the OOCness...

~Skye Coulson


	5. Lie to Me Once Again

**Love Will Remember**

**Disclaimer:  
**Still don't own any of this! ('cept the plot idea]

**Rating:  
**T

**Genre:  
**Romance/Hurt/Comfort

**Pairing:  
**Coulsye

**Lyrics Used:  
**12 Stones "Lie to Me"

* * *

Lie to Me Once Again

* * *

_You said you were there for me | You wouldn't let me fall | All the times I shared with you | Were you even there, at all?_

_Nowhere to run | And, nowhere to hide | You're scared of the truth | I'm tired of the lies | 'Cause who I am is where you wanna be_

_Don't act like an angel | You've fallen again | You're no super hero | I found in the end_

_So, lie to me, once again | And, tell me everything will be all right | Lie to me once again | And, ask yourself before we say goodbye | Well, goodbye | Was it worth it in the end_

_Just when I put my guard away | It's the same old story | You left me broken and betrayed | It's the same old story_

_Lie to me once again | It's the same old story | Lie to me once again | It's the same old story_

_Was it worth it in the end?_

* * *

"I think I'm gonna tun in." Phil Coulson announced, excusing himself for the evening. It had been a rough couple of weeks for the whole team. Phil, himself, hadn't slept well ever since returning home from being rescued by Skye and May from Raina's captivity. Every night, his sleep continued to be plagued by the same horrific nightmare from that very first night. Thankfully, he had at least managed to keep his screaming to a minimum with Skye's help and continued presence in his bed with him, at night. He knew it was highly inappropriate to ask her to stay with him every night. But, he just couldn't escape the fact that he needed her. And, if she was willing to be there for him, who was he to argue.

"You want me to join you?" Skye asked, looking up at her friend and mentor, warmly. She had made a promise, and, she'd be damned if she wasn't going to keep it. And, honestly, she enjoyed their nights together. She found that, when he wasn't being tormented by his nightmare, she often slept much more soundly with him in her arms.

Looking around the living area, Phil realized it was just himself, the hacktivist, and Jemma who had been the first to come to her senses and apologize for the rest of the team's behavior in the kitchen and was actually on their side all along. Eventually, she had brought the others all around with her. Smiling warmly down at the young hacktivist, Phil replied, gratefully "I'd like that."

Rising to her full height next to Phil, Skye gently rested her hand on his arm as she replied "Okay. I'll be in there in a minute. I'm just gonna stop by my bunk to change, first."

Gently patting the hand on his arm, Phil smiled. "Thank you, Skye." And, with that, he took his leave to retire to his own bunk for the evening.

Looking around the room, Skye noticed Jemma eying her suspiciously. "What?" The hacker asked, curiously.

"Have you told him, yet?" The bio-chemist asked, knowing full-well that Skye would know exactly what she was referring to. Once she had made it clear that she was on Skye and Coulson's side in the whole matter, Skye had confided in her about her moral dilemma over whether she should or should not tell him the truth about his nightmare from the very first night.

"Technically..." Skye began, ashamed. "No. But-"

"No 'but's, Skye!" Jemma quipped, keeping her voice low to avoid Coulson accidentally overhearing their conversation. "You can't keep this from him! It's not fair to him!" The bio-chemist argued. "Besides, telling him the truth about his nightmare could help shed some light on his other missing memories. You _do _want him to get his memory _back_, don't you?!" She asked, crossly, folding her arms across her chest as she rose to in front of Skye.

"You _know _I do..." Skye argued, helplessly. "But, you heard May. I know I sure as hell wouldn't want to remember...whatever the hell it was that he was remembering in that God-awful machine Raina had him in!" The hacktivist reasoned, defensively. "You didn't see him-you didn't _hear _what he was saying, Jemma!" Skye cried, quietly. "He kept repeating the same phrase, over and over...'Let me die.'...'I'm beggin you. Please, just let me die.'..." She added, shuddering as she recalled the moment she'd found Phil in that horrific machine. "I just don't want to drag him back through the depths of Hell that I'm fairly sure even Satan, _himself_, actively tries to avoid!"

"I understand that, Skye." Jemma conceded, compassionately. Truthfully, she understood what a pickle Skye was in. She knew it couldn't be an easy decision to make. "But, S.H.I.E.L.D. has already kept far too many secrets from him!" She argued, standing by her original point. "What do you think it would do to him if he recovers his memories on his own and figures out that you've been hiding your _own _secrets from him?!"

Skye had to admit that Jemma had a point on that one. Sighing heavily, she replied "I _know_...I know all that, Jemma..." She admitted, shamefully. "And, it's not like I haven't _tried _to tell him...But...One look in his eyes and...the words just...die in my throat..."

After wrapping the hacktivist up in her arms, briefly, Jemma replied gently "I know it's hard, Skye..." She conceded. "But, putting it off won't make it any easier..."

Sighing, once more, Skye replied "I know...You're right..." After thinking it over for another beat, she added "I'll tell him, right now."

* * *

After stopping by her own bunk to slip into a pair of shorts and a loose-fitting tank top, Skye found herself in the doorway of Phil's bunk. The senior agent was already clad in a pair of black sweatpants and a white wife-beater. "There you are!" He greeted, smiling warmly. "I was beginning to worry that I'd been stood up!"

"I just...had to talk to Jemma about something, real quick..." Skye replied, more cryptic than usual. Something about her body language was off, as well, the senior agent noted. She seemed self-conscious and nervous about something.

"Is everything all right?" Phil asked, his tone turning more concerned.

Sighing, Skye knew it was now or never. "You...You might wanna sit down..." She began, trying to buy herself some time to work up the courage to say what she needed to say.

"Skye, what's going on?" Phil asked, downright worried.

Drawing a deep breath as she summoned whatever courage she could find, Skye replied "I...I think I might...know something..." She began, distantly. "...about...the nightmare you've been having ever since we rescued you from Raina..."

Phil didn't know what to say. Part of him was a little hurt that Skye had been withholding this information from him. "What is it?" He asked, curiously, folding his arms over his chest in a defense mechanism.

"When May and I found you..." Skye began, searching for the gentlest way to break this to her friend. "You were in this...machine...and you were screaming in pain-just like you always do after one of those nightmares...and you kept repeating the same phrase...over and over..." She elaborated, diverting her gaze away from the senior agent as she found a suddenly fascinating spot on the floor.

"What was I saying?" The senior agent asked, prodding the young hacktivist to continue.

"You were saying..." Skye began, drawing another steadying breath. "'Let me die'...'Please. I'm begging you. Just let me die.'..."

In that instant, Phil froze. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Realizing that Skye was right, in the beginning, he found his body lowering itself down on to the bed as his mind went into overdrive, trying to process what Skye was telling him. If all this was true then...His nightmares weren't of some random stranger. They weren't even really dreams at all. They were the very beginnings of his own missing memories. "How could you do this?!" He asked, his voice soft and low and his eyes pleading. Pleading for an answer that would make this all okay for him. "How could you hide something like this from me?"

Skye could handle a lot of crap. But, the soft, broken voice that responded to her confession was nowhere near that list. "I'm so sorry, Phil..." She apologized, her own voice thick with emotions-some of which she had no words for. "I know I had no right to-"

"You're damn right!" Phil fired back, cutting the hacktivist off, mid-sentence. "What could have possibly possessed you to make you think that you could keep something like this from me?!" He demanded, rising to his feet and storming across the room to stand directly in front of the young hacker. "Ya know what? Don't even answer that!" He amended, darkly. "It doesn't even matter, now." A tense silence fell over the pair as they each stared directly into the eyes of the other, searching for how to proceed. "I think you should leave." Phil stated, finally, breaking the silence.

Skye had expected Phil to be angry with her decision to hide this from him. But, this? This was something else, entirely. She had hoped that he would at least realize that she only ever meant to protect him. "Phil, please..." She began, pleading with the owner of her heart. "I swore I would stand by you-"

"-until I ordered you away." Phil interjected, finishing the hacker's sentence as he recalled the vow she'd made to him when this whole thing started. "Skye, I need you to leave." He added, his voice firm, leaving no room for argument. "And, that's an order."

Skye never thought eleven words would be all it would take to bring her entire world crashing down around her. But, here it was. Staring into the eyes of the man that she secretly loved, she realized there was nothing she could say or do, in that moment, to make him change his mind. Nodding her understanding, Skye simply replied in a timid, broken voice that even _she _didn't recognize as her own. "If you need anything...you know where to find me..." She spoke, turning to leave without waiting for a response.

Watching Skye walk away was unbearable. But, it hurt worse to think about all the secrets she'd hidden from him. After he'd lost his memories, she'd been the one person he'd thought he could count on. The one person he could rely on to never lie to him. Now, he just didn't know what to believe in, anymore. Crawling into his suddenly colder and emptier bed, the senior agent pulled the sheets tight around him-craving the warmth and security he was sorely lacking without Skye there to hold him. As he curled into a fetal position, something told the senior S.H.I.E.L.D. agent that sleep would be eluding him, that night, as the first of many tears escaped his eyes and slid down his cheeks, dampening the pillow beneath his head.

In her own bunk, Skye found herself faced with the same problems. The only difference being that hers were all completely self-inflicted. She knew she deserved this and that she'd brought it all upon herself. Curling into the same fetal position on her own bed, Skye realized how much colder her bed was when she tried to sleep alone. She missed the feeling of holding Phil in her arms, protecting him, shielding him against his recurring nightmare that had brought this whole mess to fruition in the first place. Drawing the sheets tight around herself, the young hacktivist couldn't fight the tears that escaped her eyes as she fought the losing battle against insomnia.

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**I hope you all enjoyed this installment. Not sure where all the angst came from. But, I felt like Coulson might be rather hurt that the one person he trusted above all others would hide something so important ABOUT him FROM him. As always, read and review, please!

~Skye Coulson


	6. Nobody's Perfect

**Love Will Remember**

**Disclaimer:  
**Y'all really oughtta know the drill, b'now...

**Rating:  
**T

**Genre:  
**Romance/Drama

**Pairing:  
**Coulsye

**Lyrics Used:  
**Jessie J feat Brandy "Conquer the World"  
Jessie J "Nobody's Perfect"

* * *

Nobody's Perfect

* * *

_I know how it feels to cry, in the middle of the night | With nobody else by my side (no, no) | If you need to escape the dark, let me be your light | So, know that you don't have to be alone, in this fight | Noooooooooooo_

_(Oh ooh ooh) I know 'cause I've been there | (Oh ooh ooh) So, when you're going no where (noooo)_

_Don't ever give up on us, on us, on us | Say you'll fight for love, promise, promise, promise | I'm gonna be strong for ya, when the days get rough | So, don't ever give up, together, we can conquer the world (Oooh) | Together, we can conquer the world_

* * *

Waking early, the next morning, Skye decided to take her frustrations out on the punching bag. It seemed the most logical decision as she really didn't want to talk to anyone, at that moment. Well, she _did_. But, she was reasonably certain he wouldn't be so receptive to the idea. So, the punching bag, it was.

Inserting her earbuds to tune out any distractions, she set to work. This was exactly what she needed. The physical exhaustion gave her mind a well-welcomed change of topic. She breathed a sigh of relief as she let the music blasting in her ears carry her away as she zoned out the rest of the world, around her.

* * *

Half an hour later, Phil Coulson had given up on the idea of going back to sleep. After having had the chance to cool off, he realized he shouldn't have gone off on Skye the way he had. She hadn't intended to hurt him, it was just an unfortunate side-effect. Her heart had been in the right place. It was just her execution that somewhat missed the mark. Either way, he knew his mind wouldn't give him a moment's rest until he spoke with her and apologized.

After searching her bunk, the kitchen and the common areas, he ran into Jemma. "Hey, Jemma?" He called, hoping the bio-chemist could clue him in on where the young hacker might be.

"Yes, sir?" Jemma called, breezily.

"Have you seen Skye?" Phil asked, trying to keep his voice light. He really didn't feel like answering any questions, right at that moment. At least, not until he'd had the opportunity to speak with Skye, first.

"Yeah, I just saw her in the gym." Jemma replied, pointing in the general direction of the plane's on-board gym. "She seemed pretty upset. D'you happen to know what's the matter with her?" She asked, her voice laden with concern.

Fidgeting nervously, Phil simply replied "Yes, actually, I do...But, I really think that it's something I need to discuss with Skye, privately, if you don't mind..." At least, it was honest.

"Of course, sir..." Jemma replied, with an oddly-knowing smirk playing across her face. Shaking his head, slightly, Phil wordlessly set off in the direction of the gym.

* * *

_I'm not a saint | No, not at all | But, what I did | It wasn't cool | But, I swear that I'll never do that again to you, oh | I'm not a saint | No, not at all | But, what I did | It wasn't cool | But, I swear that I'll never do that again to you, oh_

* * *

With her earbuds blasting in her ears, Skye never heard Coulson join her in the gym. Fortunately, for both of them, he had learned from their previous encounter in the gym and materialized on the other side of the punching bag. "Hey, AC..." She greeted, timidly, as she reached for her water bottle, downing a large drink before replacing it on the bench, near her.

"Hello, Skye..." Phil offered, awkwardly. On his way down here, he'd planned out everything he'd wanted to say, down to the letter. But, standing before her, now, the words died on his lips. The two of them just stood together, in awkward silence, which seemed to stretch on fore eternity until they both broke the silence, simultaneously.

"I'm sorry." They both spoke in unison.

"You?" Skye asked, looking at Phil as if he'd gone insane. "What could you _possibly _have to be sorry for?" She wondered, in shock.

"I just wanted to say that...I'm sorry..." Phil stammered, suddenly unable to speak. "For the way I acted, last night." He finally elaborated. "I completely over re-acted."

"No..." Skye interjected, gently, stepping around the punching bag as she unwrapped her hands as she moved to stand next to Phil, resting her right hand on his left shoulder while her left hand gently rubbed his left arm in a soothing manner. "No, you had every right to feel the way that you did." She added, tenderly. "I'm the one who was wrong. I had absolutely no right to keep the truth from you."

"No, I'm sure you had your reasons." Phil dismissed, gently, covering the hand on his arm with his own.

Stroking the back of his hand with her thumb, Skye conceded "I did..." Shaking her head, she added "But, they were nowhere near good enough..." Sighing lightly, as she hung her head in shame, she added "There _is _no reason good enough to make what I did okay..."

Shifting, slightly, Phil cupped Skye's face in his hands-forcing her to look him in the eyes. "Skye, listen me..." He began, his voice soft and warm, as he spoke.

"No..." Skye protested, struggling unsuccessfully against his grasp as she averted her gaze. "No, I should have told you the truth from the beginning!" She rambled on, despite his attempts to quiet her. "I just-May got in my head-made me think that if I ever went through what you went through that I wouldn't want to remember..." At that point, Skye had unknowingly clung to Phil's shirt in her desperate attempt to apologize. Staring into her eyes, Phil saw the glistening tracks of fresh tears and ached for them as he gently wiped them away with his thumbs. "I just-I need you to know that-that I would _never _do _anything _to intentionally hurt-"

Phil had finally had enough. His attempts to verbally calm the hacker were clearly falling on deaf ears. Finally, he resorted to gut instincts as he surged forward and captured her lips with his own. In that moment, everything seemed to come screeching to a halt as Skye froze in his grasp. After what felt like an eternity, but, was probably only seconds, Phil felt Skye pulling away and reluctantly allowed her.

The moment Phil's lips had touched hers, Skye's mind had completely shut down. She couldn't even begin to process what had just happened. "-you." She spoke, dumbly, finishing her interrupted thought. "What-umm...What..." She stammered, dazedly. "What was that...exactly?"

"I apologize if that crossed any lines." Phil began, carefully. "But, I just couldn't let you go on blaming yourself the way you were. I needed you to stop talking and nothing else was working, so, I just went off instincts." He elaborated. "I just wanted to tell you that I forgive you. You don't even need to apologize. I know you meant well and I _do _know that you would never intentionally hurt me." He added, softly, as he pulled the young hacker into his arms.

Nuzzling into the crook of Phil's neck, Skye just drew a deep breath-his scent calming her down. Finally, everything was sinking in. Phil didn't hate her. He'd forgiven her. Now, she could finally breathe, again. But, one question still weighed on her mind. Lingering in his arms, a moment longer, Skye finally pulled back just far enough to look him in the eye. "I know you said that...Well, that you kissed me to...to shut me up, basically..." She stammered, anxiously, feeling as though her heart would beat right out of her chest. "But...I have to ask...Was there...anything else, behind it...Anything more?" She asked with a bit more of a desperate hopefulness in her voice than she really wanted. But, she needed to know if there was ever a chance for Phil to want her the way she wanted him.

Looking into the eyes of the young woman in his arms, Phil knew there _had_-in fact-been more to the kiss than just trying to silence her. The question was...Just _what _was it. Phil knew he cared for Skye in a different, deeper, way than he cared for the rest of the team. He just couldn't quite identify it. "I..." Phil stammered, desperately searching for the right words for what he was trying to convey. "I just...I...I don't honestly know..."

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**Okay, I really am horrible for leaving this on a cliff-hanger. But, I promise to try to update, tomorrow.

~Skye Coulson


	7. Together, We Can Breathe

**Love Will Remember**

**Disclaimer:  
**Y'all know the drill by now...

**Rating:  
**T

**Genre:  
**Romance/Drama

**Pairing:  
**Coulsye

**Lyrics Used:  
**Jessie J "Breathe"

* * *

Together, we Can Breathe

* * *

_I can be your work of art for life | You just show me what you want, tonight | So, together, we can breathe | I wanna give you all of me | Open up your eyes and love me | Love me | Love me | When I'm falling to my knees | I wanna give you all of me | You don't have to take care of me | Of me | Of me | Together we can breathe | Oh, oh, oh | Oh, oh, oh | Love me | Love me | Together, we can breathe | Oh, oh, oh | Oh, oh, oh | Love me | Love me_

* * *

_Looking into the eyes of the woman in his arms, Phil knew there _had_-in fact-been more to the kiss than just trying to silence her. The question was...Just _what _was it? Phil knew he cared for Skye in a different, deeper, way than he cared for the rest of the team. He just couldn't quite identify it. "I..." Phil stammered, desperately searching for the right words for what he was trying to convey. "I just...I...I don't honestly know..."_

* * *

"Oh..." Skye muttered, embarrassed. Really, she should have known better than to hope for anything more than a father-daughter relationship with the senior agent. She was a daughter-figure to him and she really should have known that was all she would ever be. "It's okay...I get it..." She added, brokenly, struggling to free herself from his grasp, desperate to be anywhere else, at that moment.

"No!" Phil declared, shakily, tightening his grip on the young hacker. Really, a man of his intelligence should have known to phrase his response better than that. The last thing he could ever want would be making Skye feel rejected. God knew she had felt that way, long enough. She certainly didn't need it from him. "No, that's...That's not what I meant, Skye..." He added, with a unique desperation in his piercing blue eyes unlike anything the young hacker had ever seen written in them.

"Then...What _did _you mean?" Skye asked, timidly. She didn't want to get her hopes up, but, she knew needed to know, once and for all, where she stood with the senior agent. The 'what if' would always drive her crazy if she didn't find out, definitively, one way or the other.

"I just meant..." Phil sighed, searching for the right words. "Skye, I need to ask you, something, before I go any further..." He added, hoping that her answer could help him formulate one of his own.

"Anything..." Skye replied, gently prodding him to continue.

"Are we..." Phil began, unsure of how to phrase what he wanted to ask. "I mean...Were we ever...Involved?" He finished, finally. He never would have thought that his entire world could rest on the shoulders of one woman. But, here he was...looking into the eyes of that very person.

Skye remained silent while she attempted to work out what Phil might have meant in her. Finally, after what felt like an eternity-at least to Phil-her eyes widened in realization. "Oh...Um..." She began, awkwardly. "No...No, we were..._involved_..."

"Hmm..." The senior agent hummed, thoughtfully. _That doesn't make any sense. If we were never involved, then, why do I have all of these...feelings...for her?_ He wondered, to himself. He couldn't understand how he could feel so much for someone he wasn't involved with. One thing was for certain...If they weren't involved, Phil knew he definitely _wanted _to be. The question was...Did Skye want that, too? "Listen, Skye...I have to be honest with you...I have these...feelings...for you..." He began, awkwardly. Who would have known he would find someone that could make him feel like a love-sick teenager, all over again? "And, not just a sexual attraction...I care for you, Skye...The reason I asked you if we were ever involved is...Well, it's because I feel like you're someone I could fall in love with..."

Skye couldn't believe what she was hearing. She couldn't believe that this wonderful man in her arms-who had already stolen her heart-returned her feelings for him. Shaking her head, Skye composed herself as much as she could and cleared her throat before replying. "Well, then, Phil...In the spirit of honesty...I should probably tell you...I've already fallen in love with you..." She replied, with a warm smile.

Now, it was Phil's turn to be rendered utterly speechless. He was completely blown away. He couldn't believe that this maddeningly beautiful woman in his arms reciprocated his feelings for her. At a loss for what to say or do, Phil relied on his instincts, once again. Leaning in toward the young hacker, the second kiss softer, more languid. Both parties felt the emotions pouring forth into the kiss. Wrapping her arms around the back of Phil's neck, Skye pulled the older man flush against her and smiled against the kiss as she felt his arms wrapping around her waist, pulling her in. The kiss said everything that neither of them could ever put into words. That is, until reality sank in for the young hacker as she reluctantly pulled away from the man that she loved.

"What's wrong?" Phil asked, his voice laden with concern.

"Nothing." Skye replied, perhaps a little too quickly. "Nothing's wrong, it's just..." Sighing lightly, she added "I just can't help feeling like I'm taking advantage of you in a vulnerable moment..." She admitted, averting gaze, shamefully.

Phil smiled, softly, as he took in the hacker's concerns. Taking her chin in between his thumb and index finger, he replied with a soft, warm tone. "Skye...Believe me, you are _not _taking advantage of anything..." He assured the owner of his heart. "I want this as much as you do..."

"That's just it..." Skye reiterated, finally wrenching herself free from his grasp. "You want this _now_...But, what happens when you get your memory back? What will you want then? What if you end up regretting this? What if-" The young woman continued rambling and pacing anxiously until Phil stepped in front of her, gently taking her arms into his grasp as he looked her straight in the eye.

"I may not remember anything about us before the incident with Raina..." The senior agent conceded. "But, I know how I feel. These feelings aren't just going to go away. Not when I get my memories back. Not ever." The way he spoke, so confidant and sure of himself, made Skye want to hope that maybe he could be right. Maybe they _could _have a future together, even **after **he got his memory back. But, there was still one question left weighing on her mind.

"It's just that..." She began, helplessly. "You've never brought this up, before, Phil. Before this whole...Raina thing...You never gave me any indication that you wanted anything like this from me-from us..." Sighing heavily, she added "How do I know this isn't just some form of...misplaced hero worship? I mean, how do I know that this isn't all just a by-product of me trying to be there for you after you lost your memory?"

Phil didn't blame Skye for feeling this way. The timing might not have been the best for his confession. "Skye, I understand where you're coming from." He began, gently. "Anyone in your position would have the exact same questions. And, no, the timing of my confession may not be the best..." He conceded. "But, that doesn't make what I feel any less genuine." Stepping closer to the young hacker, he rested his hand on her cheek as he spoke tenderly. "You have my word, Skye...If there was even the slightest **shadow **of a doubt in my mind that my feelings for you were **anything **less than genuine, I wouldn't be here." He assured her, staring directly into her eyes to drive his point home. "You know me, Skye. I would never make a move like this without being one hundred percent certain. I love you, Skye..." Staring into the hacker's warm, doe, eyes, he knew what he said to be true. Nothing in the world could ever stop him from loving the beautiful, and maddeningly charming young woman in his arms.

Staring straight into Phil's baby blue eyes, Skye knew every word he was saying came directly from his heart and she knew she could trust in their authenticity. Smiling, she cradled the warm hand on her cheek in her own as she replied confidently. "I love you, too, Phil." Leaning in toward Phil, the third meeting of their lips was ten times more electrifying than the two before. As their tongues danced their heated Rumba, the pair was startled apart by the clattering of a tray full of lab equipment crashing to the floor.

"Jemma..." Phil breathed as he took in the sight of one shell-shocked bio-chemist.

Simultaneously, Skye breathed "Simmons..." as she realized that the duo of science officers had caught them in the act. "And, Fitz..."

* * *

**Author's Note:  
**I know this chapter's a little short. But, I tried stretching it and I just didn't like where it was going. So, enjoy this little offering I bring you.

~Skye Coulson


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